November 1, 2024
Pearl River Community College alums routinely share how impactful their time at The River has been on their lives. Some have met their spouses here, and others have found their career aspirations. Drew Hedgepeth found both.
After graduating from Picayune High School, Hedgepeth attended PRCC from Fall 2010 to Spring 2013. His family’s PRCC ties run strong as his parents, Kevin and Christy Sylvest Hedgepeth, attended, as did his brothers, Devin and Dalton, and their wives.
He was initially a pre-med student before transitioning into a pre-engineering student. During his time at PRCC, he was a work-study student for the Development Foundation as well as a member of the River Road Show Choir. He also met his wife, Kristina (Williams) Hedgepeth, here.
He credits his time at PRCC for laying a solid foundation for his academic and work careers. Dr. Henry Sietz, Instructor of Physics and Mathematics, and Dr. Glenn Dale, Instructor of Chemistry, were two of the more influential instructors he had at The River.
“There are many others who would agree as they have had a positive impact on a lot of engineering majors,” said Hedgepeth. “I learned how to work hard and think critically. We were encouraged to develop good study habits and treat school like our job. This approach made my transition to Mississippi State easier.”
While completing his degree in chemical engineering at Mississippi State University, Hedgepeth obtained a cooperative work opportunity with Georgia Pacific in Monticello. He was offered a permanent position at the end of his co-op experience, allowing him to focus on school during his last semesters. He spent four years working mainly in the reliability and maintenance organizations at the paper mill.
“It’s a very, very fast-paced environment with harsh working conditions,” said Hedgepeth. “You learn a lot about adversity, troubleshooting, and critical thinking in those environments. They afforded me so many opportunities to learn and grow.”
Hedgepeth began his tenure at Cooperative Energy as a maintenance engineer at the J.T. Dudley, Sr. Generation Complex (Plant Moselle) in 2020. He has risen through the ranks since then and is currently the Maintenance Superintendent for Plant Moselle, Sylvarena Station, and Benndale Station.
“Cooperative Energy was restructuring how they do their turbine maintenance and outage scheduling,” said Hedgepeth. “Prioritizing workflow and implementing reliability strategies are things that I was exposed to during my previous job. So, I was able to be a part of the team and share some of the things I’d seen. Over time, I began supervising the planners as we began to restructure how we plan maintenance and plan outages for our turbines.”
Along with other plant leaders, Hedgepeth promotes a work culture where people know how to trust each other and perform at a high level.
“We embrace a growth mindset,” said Hedgepeth. “We want to keep tackling obstacles and looking for new and innovative and transformative ways of doing business.
“It’s a blessing to be a part of the team, but for me, it all goes back to what I learned and had to grow up in at my time here at PRCC.”
REACHING OUT TO FUTURE ENGINEERS AND TECHNICIANS
Hedgepeth is following in his father’s footsteps when it comes to giving back to The River. He has brought his team members to speak with pre-engineering and technical students on the Poplarville Campus. He desires to continue student outreach opportunities where they can provide information about career paths they can pursue within power companies.
“People don’t understand the demand for people working controls, technicians and instrumentation,” said Hedgepeth. “It’s so promising to see places like PRCC investing in those programs because that’s what our consumers and our Members need – to get reliable power. It starts with these trades.”
PRCC’s Lineman Technology program prepares students to work for companies like Cooperative Energy. Other programs offered at The River that fit the employment needs of power companies include Instrument and Control Technicians, Electricians, and Heavy Equipment Operators.
“A quote that stuck with me from a leadership podcast is ‘Your effectiveness as a leader rises and falls with your relationship with Christ’,” said Hedgepeth. “I have it on a board in my office, applying it on a daily basis, and trying to encourage our employees to buy into it as well.”
COOPERATIVE ENERGY
Since 1941, Cooperative Energy (originally called South Mississippi Electric Power Association) has been delivering wholesale power to Mississippians. They currently provide reliable, affordable electric power to over one million Mississippians served by their 11 Member systems from the Mississippi Delta to the Gulf Coast.
Cooperative Energy’s mission statement: Cooperative Energy, together with their Members, creates a stronger future for Mississippi communities by delivering affordable, reliable energy in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.
For the latest news on Pearl River Community College, visit PRCC.edu and follow us on Twitter (@PRCC_Wildcats), Instagram (PRCCWILDCATS), Facebook (@PRCCMKTG), and TikTok (@prcc_wildcats).
Article by Laura O’Neill. Photography by River Roderick plus assorted photos supplied by Drew Hedgepeth.
